Fire lighter



p 1936- s. s. FERNANDEZ 2,052,925v

FIRE LIGHTER Filed Nov. 14; 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l lrwenlor q Mm a Attorneys My Man.- 1

Sept. 1, 1936. s. s. FERNANDEZ I FIRE LIGHTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 14, 1935 Inventm S"; .5. ErnflhaZ Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE LIGHTER Serafin Santeago Fernandez, Las Vegas, Nev.

Application November 14, 1935, Serial No. 49,812

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in fire lighters and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character embodying a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts through the medium of which a fire in a furnace, stove or the like may be automatically lighted at a predetermined time.

,.Another very important object of the invention is to provide means for lighting a fire at a predetermined time throughthe medium of chemicals.

Other objects of the invention are to provide afire lighter which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efiicient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view principally in side elevation of a fire lighter constructed in accordance with the present invention, portions being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section through the device.

Figure 3 is a detail view in perspective of the vertically movable cone.

Figure 4 is a detail view in perspective of the cone cover.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a cylinder I of any suitable material, preferably metal, having mounted on its lower end portion apertured ears 2 for the passage of securing elements 3 for 40 anchoring the device to a suitable base or support 4. Rising from the upper end of the'cylinder I are ears 5 which are apertured to receive the threaded ends of a handle 6, said handle being secured in position by nuts 1. Fixed at an intermediate point on the handle 6 is a bail 8 having journaled thereon a roller 9. 7

Fixed in the cylinder I is an elevated bottom I I) having mounted thereon a funnel II. Connected to the lower end of the funnel I I, as at I2, is an elbow or the like I3 which extends through an opening I4 provided therefor in the lower portion of the cylinder I and which has connected thereto an inclined pipe I5. Mounted on the lower end of the pipe I5 is a substantially spoonshaped pan I6 which, as illustrated to advantage in Figure 1 of the drawings, communicates with said pipe I 5.

Mounted for vertical movement in the funnel II is a cone I! having vertical chambers I8 and 5 I9 extending therethrough. The chamber I8'is for the reception of a charge of peroxide of sodium, as at 20, and the vertical chamber I9 is for the reception of tannic acid, as at 2I. When the cone I7 is resting in the funnel I I said funnel l0 closes the vertical chambers I8 and I9 at their lower ends.

The cone I1 is also provided with a centrally located well 22 from which a reduced passage 23 extends to the lower end of said cone. Mounted in the well 22 is a substantially cup-shaped container 24 for the reception of water, as at 25. The bottom of the container 24 is provided with. an opening 26 which is tapered to form a seat for a valve 21, said valve being seated by a spring 28.

Mounted on the cone I1 is a removable cover 29 for the chambers I8 and I9 and the container 24. Threaded shanks 30 rise from the top of the cone I l and extend through the cover 29 and mounted on said shanks are wing nuts 3| which secure said cover 29 in position. Depending from the handle 6 is a stem 32 which extends slidably through the cover 29 into the container 24 and which is engageable with the valve 21 for unseating said valve.

Eyes 33 are mounted on the cover 29 and secured therein is a flexible cord or the like 34 which is windable on the alarm winding stem 35 of a conventional time clock 36 for elevating the cone I! at a predetermined time. As best seen in Figure l of the drawings, the lower portion of the string 34 is looped, the loop passing through the eyes 33 and through openings 31 in the handle 6 and then passing over the roller 9.

Briefly, the operation of the device is as fol lows:

When the alarm of the clock 36 is released, the string 34 is wound on the alarm stem 35 thereof for raising the cone I! out of engagement with the funnel II, thus permitting the chemicals in the chambers I8 and I9 to drop into the elbow I3 and flow by gravity into the tray I6 through the pipe I5. As upward movement of the cone Il continues the stem 32 engages and unseats the valve 21 against the tension of the coil spring 28 for releasing the water 25 in the container 24 and permitting said water to flow into the tray I 6. Immediately upon contact of the water with the chemicals in the tray I B ignition occurs for light- 39 a elevated. l

ing the fuel in the furnace, stove or the like. It should perhaps be here stated that the tray l 6 is located, for example, immediately beneath the grate of a furnace or stove on which fuel has previously been placed.

It is believed that the many advantages of a fire lighter constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:-

1. A fire lighter comprising asupporting structure, a funnel mounted on said supporting structure, a tray communicating with said funnel, a

vertically movable cone mounted in the funnel,

said cone having chambers therein, forthe're ception of chemicals. ignitible upon being con.- tactedrby a liquid, closed by the funnel, ajcontainer, for the reception of water, mountediin the cone, said container having a discharge opening therein, a spring actuated -valveclosing said opening, means for elevating the cone out of en'- gagement with the funnel, and means mounted on the I supporting structure engageable with the valve 'for unseating .said valve when thecone is Q2. Affir lighterlcomprising iasupporting structure, a funnel mounted on said supporting structuPe,a--tray communicating with said funnel, a

vertically movable cone mounted in the funnel, said cone having vertical chambers therein for the reception of chemicals ignitible upon being contacted by a liquid, the funnel closing said iver-i tical chambers at their lower ends when the cone is engaged with said funnel, means for elevating the cone for discharging the chemicals into the tray, a container, for the reception of Water, mounted in the cone and having a discharge opening communicating with the tray, a spring actuated valve closing the discharge opening, and a stem mounted on the supporting structure and extending into the container for engaging and unseating the valve for causing the water to flow into the tray. 7 y

3. A fire lighter of the class described comprising a cylinder, an elevated bottom mounted in said cylinder, a funnel mounted on said bottom,

a conduit connected to the bottom of the funnel, Ha tray connected to the conduit and communicating therethrough with the funnel, a cone mounted for'v'erti'cal movement in the funnel, said cone having vertical chambers extending therethrough c for the reception of chemicals ignitible upon being contacted by a liquid, the funnel closing said chambers 'atJthe lower ends thereof-when the cone is engaged with said funne1,':said cone fur -l ther having a centrally located well therein, a container, for. the reception of water, mounted in re'movably mounted on the cone, means connected,

to "the'co'v'er for elevating the cone for releasing the chemicals into the trayra handle mounted on the cylinder, and a, ste m dep en ding from said handle'and extending slidably through the cover U into the container for engaging-and unseating the valve for releasing the Water into the tray.

' 1 SERAFIN SANTEAGO FERNANDEZ} Q 

